Builders of Egypt 1.5 - Major Engine Update (Test Branch Release)
IMPORTANT: This update requires a graphics card supporting DirectX 12!
With this release, Builders of Egypt now fully relies on DirectX 12. If your hardware does not support DX12, you will not be able to play the new version.
Please note: This update is currently available on a separate patch_test branch. It will remain there for about two weeks as a transition period, during which we will be conducting intensive tests. After that, version 1.5 will become the new default on the main branch. The exact date of this switch will be announced after the testing period.
These two weeks are especially important for tracking down and fixing minor issues that may arise from:
- a different philosophy of UI development in UE 5.6,
- the complete overhaul of all game materials to use virtual textures (resulting in huge VRAM savings),
- improvements in performance, shading and lighting using Lumen.
Please note: While Lumen delivers spectacular results, it can put a heavy load on your GPU. In the next update, we plan to add an option to disable Lumen for players who prefer performance over maximum visual effects.
How to try the new test branch?
If you want to experience all the new engine features, optimizations, and changes ahead of the main release, you can easily switch to the test branch:
- Right-click on Builders of Egypt in your Steam library.
- Select Properties, then go to the Betas tab.
- In the dropdown, select: patch_test
- Steam will download and install the latest test version.
Once the transition period is over, this version will become the new default on the main branch.
What about the old version?
After the two-week transition period, the previous version based on Unreal Engine 4.25.4 will “retire” to a dedicated legacy branch.
It will remain available for anyone who, for any reason, does not want or cannot switch to Unreal Engine 5.6 (for example, due to hardware limitations or lack of DirectX 12 support).
You’ll still be able to access and play the older version, but please note it will no longer receive updates or new fixes.
To play on the legacy branch after the transition period, follow these steps:
- Right-click on Builders of Egypt in your Steam library.
- Select Properties, then go to the Betas tab.
- In the dropdown, select: legacy_4_25_4
- Steam will download and install the previous version.
What's new in version 1.5?
Version 1.5 is the direct result of migrating Builders of Egypt to Unreal Engine 5.6. This upgrade brings a wide range of improvements - starting with much better LOD management, enhanced lighting, and culling, and ending with numerous bugfixes and overall performance boosts.
This update opens the door to modern, "civilized" gaming with contemporary solutions, and the first of those is support for DLSS, offering a potential performance boost, especially for players with lower-end graphics cards.
However, in the case of Builders of Egypt, DLSS won't work miracles - most of the performance issues have been (and to some extent still are) rooted more in the code itself than in unoptimized graphics. Still, it’s another tool in your hands and might help, especially on older hardware.
Key improvements:
- Better LOD handling - smoother transitions, no more abrupt "popping" or missing detail.
- Lighting powered by Lumen - the new real-time global illumination system brings more realistic and natural lighting. Shadows are sharper and more accurate, light bounces from surfaces, and the entire world feels more cohesive and believable. You’ll notice improved contrast, softer ambient lighting, and much more accurate shadows on buildings, trees, and all environment details - especially as the time of day changes.
- Resource savings thanks to Nanite - a breakthrough virtualized geometry technology lets us use extremely detailed 3D models without overloading your GPU or CPU, even when your city grows to enormous sizes. In practice, this means less strain on your computer and better performance - especially in big cities or on highly detailed maps.
- Complete material overhaul - virtual textures now used for all materials, which means huge VRAM savings, especially on large and detailed maps.
- Enhanced object culling - more efficient scene management helps to keep performance smooth in all scenarios.
- Selected textures have been updated and refined, making the visual experience even more appealing.
- Numerous bugfixes and performance tweaks across the board.
Important installation & save game information
Please note: Due to the scale of this update, a full reinstallation of the game may be required for some users to avoid technical issues.
Your Save Games from previous versions should work, but this is not officially guaranteed due to major changes in the engine and game structure. If you encounter any problems with your saves, please let us know on the forums.
We recommend making a backup of your save files before launching the updated version for the first time.
What’s next?
Now that the migration is done, the next step is to address any bugs that may have appeared or resurfaced due to the engine switch. But most importantly, our main long-term focus is finally improving the performance of all NPCs.
In the previous engine version, we had virtually no way to optimize this area - there were simply no good tools or options available. Now, while options are still somewhat limited, we do have new possibilities, and we fully intend to use them.
For the test branch, we have already achieved a frame creation cost of just 1 ms (down from an average of several dozen ms in very crowded cities in the old version). This is very encouraging, but it will require a full rework of everything NPC-related. It’s a big undertaking, so we’ll need some more time to deliver comprehensive improvements.
Known issues and the road ahead
While the migration to Unreal Engine 5.6 has solved many longstanding problems and opened up new possibilities, there are still areas requiring optimization, especially in the game’s core logic and systems. Your feedback is invaluable in tracking down and resolving these lingering issues, so please continue to share your experiences on the forums.
This update marks a huge milestone for Builders of Egypt, and sets the stage for bringing the game up to contemporary standards, with new features and improvements coming in the near future.
Thank you for your patience, your support, and for being part of the BoE community!
See you on the Nile!
